Swop Darlinghurst

Swop Clothing Exchange specialises in sustainably sourced vintage and preloved gear. It was founded in 2013 by Bethany Wicks and Brigid Gordon – two high-school friends with a shared passion for vintage fashion and second-hand clothing. They opened Swop’s first store in their hometown of Brisbane before expanding with bold and bright stores in Sydney and Melbourne.

The store features concrete floors, tunes, a few plants and a whole lot of pre-loved clothes, including a nine-metre wall of dresses. But mostly, it’s the clothes that do the talking.

So how does it work? You can bring in your own pre-loved clothes (in good condition) to exchange – either for 30 per cent of the sale value in cash or 50 per cent in-store credit. The exchange booth is open every Friday. And while you’re at it, you can buy quality pre-loved clothes at a fraction of their original retail price.

Each item is assessed and priced by trained buyers. A list of brands that SWOP does and doesn’t accept is published on the website. What you won’t find on the SWOP racks are any fast fashion items – just pre-loved, vintage and designer threads sourced within your area.